by T.J.R.
First off, Agbaji is a real baller. I like him. He is like Brandon Rush without the preseason hype IMO.
One thing that could really change the trajectory of the season would be if McCormack could start giving us something besides three fouls. I've said it before, I know, but Lightfoot should probably be encouraged to transfer. He'd be fine on Southern Illinois or Creighton or even UT-San Antonio. Lightfoot is not a big 12 starter and probably won't ever be but I also thought that about Brady Morningstar and Jeff Withey at one point. We need size that is likely obvious to everyone, but Self would have 10 guards and three forwards if he could get away with it.
I'm told me Desouza has two year suspension so his career at KU is essentially over. He sorta got screwed but they were trying to send a message I think. His guardian took 60K for him to play at Maryland and subsequently Adidas paid off the 60k so he could come to KU, an Adidas school. It sounds like the player himself did next to nothing wrong.
Cunliffe is obviously redshirting but to what end? The guys ahead of him are almost all underclassmen, except Vick I guess. Cunliffe is wasting a scholarship unless he's hurt.
I'd love to see Garrett, ,Moore, and KJ Lawson get more time especially if it becomes clear that KU is not going tho win conference.
KJ Lawson seems to have finally woken up and Agbaji has it rolling now. I really like Agbaji, but I'm still mystified by the mediocrity of Quentin Grimes. As I think I mentioned before I read one article, preseason that was debating if Grimes was more complete well-rounded player than Josh Jackson. He's no Josh Jackson!! Dotson also seems to have picked up his game a bit, especially on offense.
Earlier in year there was some discussion of Garrett's ability to score but also his defensive liabilities. Based purely on the WVU game it seems like maybe KJ Lawson has jumped ahead of Garrett on the depth chart, playing outside on offense in the 4 guard small ball scheme but being forced to check a bigger player if the opponent sends out a conventional lineup with two bigger guys. KJ Lawson advancing has benefits beyond face value I think, as brothers often tend to play better with each other since they know each other's tendencies so well AND there is a younger Lawson coming out of HS next year who could help KU with big man depth I think he is 6-8 and is ranked in 40's in his HS class so he would likely be a guy who could contribute but not star next year, much like an ever improving McCormack who I think was in mid 30's in his HS class if I recall correctly. The younger Lawson would also be a 3 or 4 year player barring some Agbaji-like surprise. Damn I like Agbaji, did I say that? I think last guy KU signed who was not in top 100 was Frank Mason and that also turned out pretty great, although Frank Mason has done less than nothing in NBA which surprises me.
t's a whole new ballgame now but if I were HCBS I would try to ride Dedric L., Agbaji, and Dotson and hope that none of them get into early foul trouble. It's clear we don't have the defenders that Self would like, when you consider Grimes, Moore, and Lightfoot are all in the heavy rotation. Moore is biggest problem with his (very small) size coupled with poor shooting. I think it's hard to justify more than garbage minutes with the season he's had.
With K-State falling at home to Iowa State and now being a player, maybe two short due to injury, KU is still alive as to the conference race. I think we have 2nd game against TTU which we clearly need to win and then we obviously need to beat K-State in Phog late in season but the way I look at it, if KU can't win that we ought not be conference champs anyway and if K-State CAN come to Phog and beat us at end of season they probably deserve the crown. With 4 freshmen now starting KU may be still improving, we do have that to consider. Everyone knows the streak of conference titles will end someday and with all the turmoil early in year with Adidas court case, Azubuike's injury, Vick's defection and the complete lack of progress by Lightfoot and Cunliffe, this could very well be the end of the streak, even though that was the last thing on anyone's mind when the season started and KU beat three top 15 teams in non-conference (Tenn, Michigan State, and Villanova.). Anyway, there are some positive signs.
First off, Agbaji is a real baller. I like him. He is like Brandon Rush without the preseason hype IMO.
One thing that could really change the trajectory of the season would be if McCormack could start giving us something besides three fouls. I've said it before, I know, but Lightfoot should probably be encouraged to transfer. He'd be fine on Southern Illinois or Creighton or even UT-San Antonio. Lightfoot is not a big 12 starter and probably won't ever be but I also thought that about Brady Morningstar and Jeff Withey at one point. We need size that is likely obvious to everyone, but Self would have 10 guards and three forwards if he could get away with it.
I'm told me Desouza has two year suspension so his career at KU is essentially over. He sorta got screwed but they were trying to send a message I think. His guardian took 60K for him to play at Maryland and subsequently Adidas paid off the 60k so he could come to KU, an Adidas school. It sounds like the player himself did next to nothing wrong.
Cunliffe is obviously redshirting but to what end? The guys ahead of him are almost all underclassmen, except Vick I guess. Cunliffe is wasting a scholarship unless he's hurt.
I'd love to see Garrett, ,Moore, and KJ Lawson get more time especially if it becomes clear that KU is not going tho win conference.
KJ Lawson seems to have finally woken up and Agbaji has it rolling now. I really like Agbaji, but I'm still mystified by the mediocrity of Quentin Grimes. As I think I mentioned before I read one article, preseason that was debating if Grimes was more complete well-rounded player than Josh Jackson. He's no Josh Jackson!! Dotson also seems to have picked up his game a bit, especially on offense.
Earlier in year there was some discussion of Garrett's ability to score but also his defensive liabilities. Based purely on the WVU game it seems like maybe KJ Lawson has jumped ahead of Garrett on the depth chart, playing outside on offense in the 4 guard small ball scheme but being forced to check a bigger player if the opponent sends out a conventional lineup with two bigger guys. KJ Lawson advancing has benefits beyond face value I think, as brothers often tend to play better with each other since they know each other's tendencies so well AND there is a younger Lawson coming out of HS next year who could help KU with big man depth I think he is 6-8 and is ranked in 40's in his HS class so he would likely be a guy who could contribute but not star next year, much like an ever improving McCormack who I think was in mid 30's in his HS class if I recall correctly. The younger Lawson would also be a 3 or 4 year player barring some Agbaji-like surprise. Damn I like Agbaji, did I say that? I think last guy KU signed who was not in top 100 was Frank Mason and that also turned out pretty great, although Frank Mason has done less than nothing in NBA which surprises me.
t's a whole new ballgame now but if I were HCBS I would try to ride Dedric L., Agbaji, and Dotson and hope that none of them get into early foul trouble. It's clear we don't have the defenders that Self would like, when you consider Grimes, Moore, and Lightfoot are all in the heavy rotation. Moore is biggest problem with his (very small) size coupled with poor shooting. I think it's hard to justify more than garbage minutes with the season he's had.
With K-State falling at home to Iowa State and now being a player, maybe two short due to injury, KU is still alive as to the conference race. I think we have 2nd game against TTU which we clearly need to win and then we obviously need to beat K-State in Phog late in season but the way I look at it, if KU can't win that we ought not be conference champs anyway and if K-State CAN come to Phog and beat us at end of season they probably deserve the crown. With 4 freshmen now starting KU may be still improving, we do have that to consider. Everyone knows the streak of conference titles will end someday and with all the turmoil early in year with Adidas court case, Azubuike's injury, Vick's defection and the complete lack of progress by Lightfoot and Cunliffe, this could very well be the end of the streak, even though that was the last thing on anyone's mind when the season started and KU beat three top 15 teams in non-conference (Tenn, Michigan State, and Villanova.). Anyway, there are some positive signs.
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